I was deeply, deeply, deeply skeptical of the Gay Conversion Bill passed last year in NZ that made it a criminal offence to attempt to ‘pray the gay away’.
Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge supporter of the Rainbow Community, I’ve spent most of my broadcasting career demanding equal rights and was a passionate activist in calling for marriage equality, but I felt locking someone up for 5 bloody years for praying the gay away was a jaw droppingly aggresive position to take.
It’s funny on the Left, normally we are the first to point out how counter productive prison is, but when it’s for something we feel really deeply about, like homophobia, we go all jackboot on people.
No one promoting this law change could tell us how many young gay people were actually being forced into conversion therapy each year and it seemed draconain in the extreme if people were agreeing to these payer events in the first place to then turn around and arrest people. Add in the whole possibility you could be prosecuted for denying your transitioning teenager puberty blockers, and the entire law felt like one vast virtue signal rather than a rational response to a legitimate issue.
Look, I have zero time for Christian Witch Drs who think praying to an invisible friendly magical wizard can chase the gay demons away, but if you want to believe in nonsense, that’s your right but I can’t see how throwing someone in prison for 5 years remedied any of that.
When asked if we should criminalise gay conversion, the Ministry of Health said better education was the solution rather than throwing people in prison.
My fear, beyond all the problematic parts of this law, was that all you needed was one fanatic to dig their heels in and become a martyr.
Which is exactly what has happened.
Meet David Riddel who offers the service and is refusing to back down.
Defiant Nelson counsellor ignores ban to continue conversion therapy
A Nelson man is refusing to end his conversion therapy services despite the practice being recently banned by Parliament.
A bill banning the practice of conversion therapy passed in February this year.
I think the law, if you were going to pass it, should have simply made it illegal to offer the service for money and the punishment be large fines, that way you stop anyone making cash from this nonsense and the punishment fits the crime.
Sadly however, the woke wanted a big juicy scary law to show how virtuous they are and now have to see it through.
Throwing David into prison for 5 years will make him a martyr, the exact opposite outcome you wanted going into this.
Our desire on the Left to make a statement with a punitive law will backfire when it gets tested.
This was politically avoidable.
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This guy and his faith spend their life ostracising people with same sex attraction and then claim not everyone with this “affliction” welcomes having it! Gee go figure.
Also the comparison with alcoholics? Got news David, not drinking does not mean are not an alcoholic.
Having attended public high school in the mid 70’s I get the impression that gay conversion therapy has been ongoing since then. I recall classes where members of the gay community were invited in to discuss their choices & explain that they were born that way. What I do not recall is any scientific evidence (biology, chemical, etc) to show that they were any different from other people or why their choice could be considered normal while those who might get excited by other inappropriate age groups, animals, etc would be considered deviant. This well-run PR campaign obviously explains the widespread support the same-sex community enjoys now helped no doubt by a backward Christian community too busy condemning people to be able to show them the love of Christ.
As Martyn points out this attitude can work both ways & should have been avoided.
Isn’t it ironic that we ban “pray the gay away” yet aggressively incorporate Maori spirituality into all facets of the public service.
Perhaps a woke atheist can explain that one to me.
That is your contention Frankus Wankus which hardly meets any test of reality.
As for the Conversion Bill, I did not like parts of it at all, and I have read most of it, because it basically enables trans conversions and transitions to proceed with early teens even against parents or caregivers wishes or interventions. So the Gay angle was a bit of a smokescreen really imo to advance the Trans activist agenda.
I support all exploited and oppressed people by default as a class left activist including trans people–but there is a shit load of science to be done yet on the whole gender scene.
100% Tiger
Frank.Christian spirituality has been rammed down society’s throat for ever. Renaming a few agencies, and acknowledging a Māori celestial calendar is not damaging people psychologically. Misleading confused and poss petrified people with some bullshit rubbish is way more likely to do serious harm. Should it be a prison sentence I don’t know but it’s a rubbish comparison
yes frank but that doesn’t make both not mumbo jumbo does it? they’re both horseshit, happy now?
Agree Gargarin but that’s rather the point dont you think?
What gives the Govt the right to push indigenous religion but effectively penalise others? Separation of church and state and all that. The Govt should not be in the business of promoting any religion and incorporating it into government.
I am looking forward to an explanation on that one as well – someone might need to get some kind of Woke Superhero out for this one.
Frank no one can explain that to you except to say some spirituality is more spiritual than others.
How can people promote love, tolerance and diversity while screeching threats at people who don’t tow the line? riddle me that
Where would they tow the line to?
straight ask any christian, shit ask any one who belives in any sky pixie
XXX Love,tolerance and diversity is defined by a certain group of society who have huge influence over everyone else.Democracy in NZ is being redefined we are told.
Ironic that we have state approved conversion therapy but the true believers can’t see it, and they certainly won’t see the poor used beings with buyers remorse who want their old sex appendages back
‘What a tragedy
I listened to the interview with Riddell on the platform. Interesting.
No evidence that it is possible to change your sexual orientation. But a significant number of therapists and alternative practitioners offer “treatments” which are not supported by any evidence eg homeopathy, psycho analysis. Yet people are free to go and spend their money on these practices. Riddel is misguided, but nothing he described in the interview sounded anything like the conversion therapy the public think this bill is out to ban. I would be totally surprised if anyone was practicing anything like those abhorant practices.
What the bill is really about is stopping therapists from doing good exploratory therapy with gender confused kids. Health professionals are now told they must affirm and confirm someone gender identity and help them to socially and medically transition. Professional organisations such as NZAC are politically captured and are promoting affirm and confirm approach. A group of child and adolescent therapists are holding a conference about a watchful waiting approach to gender confused kids. Trans activists have done absolutely everything to try and have the conference shut down. They have intimidated speakers, conference participants and started a f…ing petition that was full of inaccuracies. Despicable
I support the law. Don’t know a fuck about the punishments. How you manage to bring up your constant ‘woke’, on a good move is amazing.
The main thing is the needy and climate change. The needy connect in to anyone beneath the 84 elite,